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my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

I have a trap out to do in a guys wall and I would like to try to get the queen, I have been researching the Cleo Hogan trap but didn't want to have to build a custom female piece on every trap out depending on angle of tree, wall, etc So instead of a wooden box I used 2 in PVC with a floor flange. On a flat wall it will be mounted as seen, if it's in a tree that is leaning, I can put a very small flexible piece of hose that will allow the connection between the box and the flange which should allow it to flex several degrees. For the cone portion of it, I decided to go right into the cap and it's hard to tell but it point up at over a 45 deg angle. Hopefully I can get the queen in the box and just slip the cap over the pipe and trapout the rest of the bees. I will be installing it on a guys wall this weekend, I will keep you posted of my progress.

Re: my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

And for those of us who are not carpenters, there is Walter Kelly Swarm Harvester designed by Cleo C.Hogan. I bought mine for a tree removal and with Cleo's instructions and tutoring, successfully removed bees from the tree and got 2 colonies from it. A few months later I removed a colony from a cinder block wall, another colony. It works great for me! That and bait boxes are my preferred methods of getting bees as I don't have to worry about bees absconding, and very little labor on my part. Harvester paid for itself.

Re: my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

I saw those harvesters, I run all med and am starting a TBH so I just grabed a Med box I built, I know it will fill up faster on a trap out, but I can just as easily just super the trap or remove more frequently I'm not the best woodworker so that is why I went with the pvc design all you need is a box and a 2 in hole saw and a few fittings.

Re: my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

It'll work. As long as you have brood and comb in the box already, the workers will be like "hey we got all this room over here, come check it out." She'll be there and the rest of the bees will follow. Might be a good idea to put some kind of queen excluder on the entrance part of the pipe, she might work her way back once the brood in the wall has hatched. Of course wait until you have spotted her in the trap. Good Luck, Awesome idea.

Re: my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

Originally Posted by BackYardPhenomena

It'll work. As long as you have brood and comb in the box already, the workers will be like "hey we got all this room over here, come check it out." She'll be there and the rest of the bees will follow. Might be a good idea to put some kind of queen excluder on the entrance part of the pipe, she might work her way back once the brood in the wall has hatched. Of course wait until you have spotted her in the trap. Good Luck, Awesome idea.

My understanding is that once you spot her in the trap OR start seeing new eggs that is when you put the cap on that has the funnell in it

Re: my version of a Cleo Hogan Trap opinions please.

I had the same thought before I found this thread, but think I will use a couple of pieces of 4" pvc. With a 4" hole the first piece of pvc can slide in or out as needed. The second piece of pvc will have a funnel glued to it for an excluder and can be easily swapped out for the first piece when needed, without disturbing the mating to the hive. I thought I would use 4" so I could easily attach a short piece of dryer hose (opaque), which should make marrying the trap to the hive entrance a lot easier. I can put a flange or other type of end on the mating end of the hose depending upon whether or not the entrance is flat.